Want to start a theological argument? Pick certain subjects like…
Baptism- purpose of and mode
Communion- how often and what happens during its observance
Second Coming- pre, post, or amil. Rapture or not?
Israel- favored or unfavored people?
Tongues- yes or no?
Predestination/Foreordained- Are we or aren’t we?
Those subjects and more get people going. I would even say “Rabid” from time to time. There is one which I purposely left off the list, even though it will cause some heartburn as well.
ASSURANCE
It goes by several names: “Eternal security.” “Once saved; always saved.” Yeah, that will get some people riled up.
But what if we just took out of the realm of surety of salvation and into the realm of a calm and peace which comes from knowing you are saved? What if we used the picture of the shepherd and his sheep as the backdrop for our discussion? You see…I lived and preached for years that a person could not know he was saved. No assurance. No peace. It really came down to a works-oriented approach. “If you really want to know you are saved then you must do this or this or not do this or this.” Of course, the list for the “Dont’s” was always longer.
Sad part is: I had no assurance myself. When a person lives with a constant fear of losing everything, there can be no joy, peace and…here it is… assurance.
My sermon Sunday is from John 10-the Shepherd and his sheep. I want to give assurance to those who live with uncertainty. I’d appreciate your prayers for me and the church.
Do you live with assurance? What other topics do you think cause grief?
I am excited that you are wanting to help provide people with assurance. So many folks are stuck with their fear and it is paralyzing them from the mission set for their lives. They cannot fulfill their purpose and potential, because they are so weighed down with fear. Jesus came to prove God’s love for us and perfect love drives out fear. Fear is all about punishment and Jesus accepted our punishment at the cross. So many people can quote John 3:16 which is great, but they miss 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” The price has been paid. No Fear! 🙂
I am praying for you and this message!
-Peace
You’re right Allen. So many are stuck in fear. They are so afraid of going outside their “box” for fear of making a mistake. I want to convey exactly what you are writing about.
I will be praying for you tomorrow during my devotional time. I am not sure that I have it in me to fight or struggle with folks over any of the topics that you mention. The fact is that I don’t have any access to the truth on any of these. I just try to hold onto my mustard seed of faith and hope that it can get me through.
I appreciate your prayers Daniel. I don’t know that I don’t have it in me to fight any more or that I just don’t care as much to fight and prove “my point.” I’ll take that mustard seed of faith over an arguing know it all any day.
I’m with you guys! That mustard-seed of faith (hope) kept me alive, literally. It’s powerful!
We can never have assurance by looking to something that we have done…or by seeing if we have the right ‘feelings’ of being saved.
We have to look to the external Word of Promise…alone.
And that includes the external Promise given to us in our Baptisms…and in the Lord’s Supper…in addition to the preached Word of Promise, for us.
My 2 (Lutheran) cents.
Spot on with your first sentence. The point I was trying to make about works.
Man, how can we live without it? I would be a nervous wreck.
Ditto
I think any belief that helps a person cope or gives a person hope is ok with me. As for me, if there is no evidence to support a belief I don’t concern myself with such things. I am not into super heroes with super powers.
I know you will disagree Jeff but you “expect” me to say this: I am not into superheroes with super powers when it comes to what really counts either. I do believe in Jesus though as the One who made the way for salvation.
So many people need the peace that your message will bring, Bill. I pray the Holy Spirit uses the message God has given you to open hearts and bring clarity to those who are unsure.
Thanks Pam. I needed reminded from time to time also until it really “stuck.”
Those subjects will definitely get the fire started! It’s amazing how our faith gives us assurance and what comes from our Father to begin with He uses to bless us with… pretty cool.
Praying for you and yours, Bill.
Thanks for your prayers Floyd. You are consistently praying for me and I appreciate it.
I live with assurance because Jesus died on the cross for my sins. Though I’m sinful he forgives me with his blood. Great post!
Thanks Dan. Nothing more to add to that.
Got my white hankie out again, preach it brother, preach it.
I just got home from a prayer/bible study and guess what the women wanted to discuss? Lordship salvation, once saved or not. Pre-post and what ever trib is out there and who is chosen and who is not? I ask them if these issue build their faith up or tear it down.
Guess we will be teaching some foundational truths in the future. Yeah, what you are writing about is needed for sure.
Welcome to the club Betty! I get asked those questions often at my Route 66 class on Wednesday nights. 🙂 i would venture to say some of those are not foundational truths (Like pre, post or a).
Exactly, my pat answer for the trib things is, I am for sure going when ever HE calls, how about you?
Hi Bill,
Re your comment on my post “The First Time I Ever Prayed THAT Before Vacation,” thanks, Bill. Those times away and with family are always so worth it.
It’s good to be back too. 🙂
Phew, so you picked some doozies here! While there are trickier passages in Hebrews 6 and 10, and the concept of endurance that is brought up like a long distance run analogy, nonetheless, there are plenty of verses too on the other side that describe the Holy Spirit as the one whose responsibility it is to hold our inheritance that has been entrusted to him, and to guard that for us, and to even give us his spirit to will and to act in accordance with God’s leading in us. There are verses in John too that use past tense language to describe “then you have been saved”.
Always fun to dig into God’s word and wrestle good naturedly about scripture, but never as a battle, huh? 🙂 Easier to do in person though.
Fun to stop in with you today,
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
It is fun Jennifer. I won’t be digging that deeply into perseverance in the sermon though. There is so much it is more for a class. But I do plan to give assurance to those who question.
Usually..the ones who doubt are the genuine believer’s. Why would an unbeliever question their salvation? The thing is…God wants us to believe Him and rest in His promises. BTW…when the Lord gives a person eternal life….it doesn’t end…right?
As far as theological arguments…me and you can just wait it out until we enter eternity and everyone will find out “we” were right:-)
Agree with you Ike on the believer/unbeliever. As for the last comment: I totally stand with you on that one. 🙂
“…rest in His promises.”
That is it.
We can’t gain assurance from anything that we do, say, feel, or think. We just cannot trust in those things.
BUT…we can always trust in His promises. The external Word that comes to us…from ‘outside’ of ourselves.
So true Stephen. We have trouble “resting” though. if we could learn that….
I think assurance is a gift of the Spirit. He assures of us of our place with him as an act of kindness.
I’ll go with that.